


Never Be a Stranger

by the_dala



Category: Pirates of the Caribbean (Movies)
Genre: F/M, M/M, Triple Drabble
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:01:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26225356
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/the_dala/pseuds/the_dala
Summary: Peas in a pod, bound by the Code and a lifetime of tall tales.
Relationships: Jack Sparrow/Elizabeth Swann/Will Turner
Kudos: 40





	Never Be a Stranger

**Author's Note:**

> Originally published June 14th, 2006.

_tales_

Elizabeth has always loved her pirate stories, and hearing them from the mouths of genuine salted pirates delights her to no end. She can listen to Jack or Gibbs talk until they’re hoarse, for hours on end – sitting forward with her chin in her hands or leaning back against Will’s legs as he combs his fingers idly through her short hair, hazel eyes alight with interest even as she quirks a brow in skepticism. Now and then they seem to repeat themselves, but she doesn’t mind, for no gifted tongue spins the exact same yarn twice.

She whispers the tales to herself, at night when the men are fast asleep and the moon is bright, thinking with pride that they belong to her now.

_peas in a pod_

Will enjoys the stories too, especially the ones of Jack’s youth and his own father’s life, but he finds he can only listen for so long. In much the same way, there are moments when Jack and Elizabeth as a combined force are too much for him to take, and he longs for the deafening roar of the forge and the silence – first companionable and then turned sour as the drink took hold – of his old master.

He comes upon Mr. Cotton in the galley one morning, carving wood in apparent peace, and stutters an apology for interrupting. Cotton smiles at him as he backs away; takes his boots off the empty bench; holds out a knot of wood. So Will sits.

_the pirate’s code_

Jack never put much stock in man’s law – not men who can buy and sell other men, cut a boy’s ear off for snatching an apple, burn and ravage in the name of religion. But he loves the Code, appreciating the opportunity to ignore it so much that he rarely does so. The Code is at once about every man for himself and every man for his ship, which Jack sees as every man for every other man since the ship’s what’s keeping them all afloat anyhow.

If he wasn’t so keenly aware of the dichotomous nature of the Code, he might have been surprised and bothered to find himself growing to need two young fools as much as he needs the _Pearl_ ; but Jack tries never to be surprised, and he’s hardly ever as bothered as he puts on.


End file.
